Amoxicillin and Birth Control

[gatesy08]

Hi there,

I got prescribed amoxicillin for a sinus infection. I have been given both information that this will not interfere with my pill and also that it could. I had sex on my break week with a condom and started the antibiotic on my second day of active pills. I plan on not having sex for the course of antibiotics and 7 days afterwards. Will this then keep me completely protected?

[al]

Hi there gatesy,

If you're feeling concerned about interactions between your medications, your pharmacist or whoever prescribed the medication will be able to answer those questions best, because they have the whole picture of your health information. Usually making a quick phone call to them doesn't cost you anything, and gets you the answer straight from the source!

For most antibiotics (including amoxycillin), studies have shown that there's not much measurable effect on birth control's effectiveness (which you can read over at Something You Can Worry Less About: Interference and Hormonal Birth Control). That being said, your plan of being abstinent from activities that could incur pregnancy risk will eliminate your risk during that time period, but only your healthcare provider can give you specific medical advice in terms of your combinations of medications.

[gatesy08]

Thanks, Al!

I did have sex with a condom 5 days before starting the amoxicillin (I was on my break week) . Does this pose a risk?

[Jacob]

Hi Gaetsy, just to reiterate, We will not answer ANY questions about pregnancy fear or anxiety in our direct services from users who are not pregnant or who are not or have not otherwise been directly involved with an actual pregnancy.

Please do not post this kind of question. If you are seeing this text, and your thread is locked, it is because you have posted this kind of question.

We CAN and WILL talk about things like:
• choosing and using a method or methods of contraception for any future sexual activity
• creating your own sexual limits and boundaries based on your needs and/or presenting them to any partners
• making sexual choices that suit your own needs, abilities and limitations, including your own readiness for certain possible risks
• help locating or using emergency contraception if and when you have had a pregnancy risk
• discussing options with a real, existing pregnancy, and help finding and accessing those options, such as abortion services and pre-natal care, or discussing feelings or concerns about a past pregnancy
• help with anxiety like locating mental health services, sound self-help or asking for support from friends or family

For help dealing with a scare (including what poses a risk and your next steps based on your unique situation), you may use our tool on site built for this purpose: The Pregnancy Panic Companion.
For help with anxiety, click here.
For related help and information at Scarleteen, click here.
If you would like more information about this policy, click here.